Bencini Comet S Disaster!

Note, this post was made back in 2011 and it was my first adventure with cameras designed for bulb flashes, I’ve kept it for historical purposes. For a detailed explanation of why it failed please read Mike’s comment at the foot of the post.

Well, here it goes.

What a freakin’ disaster! The film was so expensive and I just wasted it.
But wait … there’s more …

The modern-ish flash I used, even when set to manual, wasn’t sync’d with the Comet’s 1/50 shutter speed so the flash never seemed to reach its subject and back. I did try some flash using Bulb mode but I thought the flash would be too bright for the fixed f11 aperture and diffused it. I was very wrong.

I’m not sure when I’ll be able to justify spending money on another roll but I’ll make sure I’m shooting outside with it and if I need to use flash I’ll be using bulb.

2 thoughts on “Bencini Comet S Disaster!”

Great article. I think you should definitely re-visit this unusual camera. I have just acquired a Comet-S too. Its a neat, tiny half frame 127 viewfinder camera, smaller than most 35mm cameras. Bear in mind that cameras of this age may be using only M sync timing for single use flash “bulbs” as opposed to X sync (xenon) for modern flashguns, This means a modern xenon flash will actually fire *before* the shutter is open, making a modern flash useless without a delay module. It works this way to allow the original bulbs to burn to full brightness just as the shutter opens. Modern Xenon flashes fire instantaneously so will be too early. As the author says, you can use B to open the shutter and then fire the flash manually – if it is dark enough, but if not, you might as well use B and available light, if you can support the camera well. Even though this camera is tiny, it does support a tripod mount (the older European size mount I think) and a standard release cable, so B can be used reliably to good effect. There is no exposure control at all, Fixed F11 and 1/50, so best to stick to 100ASA films. Outdoors this would make a fun street camera with the default “vertical” orientation frame. Set to focus to about 15 – 20 feet and start shooting. I sell the 127 films in the UK on my website if you want them.

Thanks for your comment Mike but alas it’s 4 years too late (!!). this post was back in 2011 before I’d ever used a camera designed for actual bulbs (I think I better update it!). I ended up using both the Bencini cameras I have/had with the bulb setting for flash even in daylight with slow speed film and extended it to Box Brownies etc. too with varying results.

My Comet’s shutter coil snapped and I haven’t and very likely won’t get around to repairing it, I still use my Koroll 2 here and there.